THIS refers to the article ‘The general speaks’ (Dec 16) by Ashraf Jehangir Qazi wherein he has opined that “…Balochistan has become almost irretrievably alienated. To this wound salt is added by the portrayal of Balochistan as a case of Indian interference and not an issue of denial of entitlements, rights and justice to the Baloch people.”

I wonder why the writer has portrayed the situation in Balochistan as totally abysmal and dismal. I have lived in Balochistan for more than five years. I have always found the Baloch in good spirits because Balochistan’s wealth and resources are under their direct control.

Business is tightly controlled by them and they are flourishing. They mostly deal with tacitly approved smuggled goods from Iran and Afghanistan. Chaman, Naushki and Taftan are hubs of smuggling. All government posts from grade 1 to grade 22 are being held by the Baloch.

An occasional chief secretary or inspector-general of police from Islamabad should hardly matter. All land and ‘killis’ belong to them. No outsider can dare open a business house or own land.

In all universities, colleges, medical colleges, the Baloch enjoy complete domination. With this kind of total domination, what is the crib of the Baloch?

They have their own government. The fund to run the government in addition to their own resources is released by the federation according to their population through the National Finance Commission.

The CSS posts for the Baloch are guaranteed according to their quota. Outsiders cannot make a domicile. The issuance of domicile is jealously guarded. The army in the province is actually assisting the populace. Even an Inter-Services Selection Board has been established there. The Baloch youths are trained and groomed to enter the Pakistan Military Academy. A training centre for jawans has also been established in Quetta.

The Baloch are joining the army in droves. Brahamdagh Bugti and the likes of him get their briefing from Indian consulates in Afghanistan.

Last but not least, let me emphasise the point that East Pakistan was separated by Indian intervention and geographical non-contiguity. No such danger looms in the case of Balochistan.

Safir A. Siddiqui

Karachi

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2014